Doll with independently articulated buttocks



J1me 1966 R. K. OSTRANDER 3,254,442

DOLL WITH INDEPENDENTLY ARTICULA'IED BUTTOCKS Filed May 16, 1965 I NVE N TOR. FQaE rK QSI'WDEQ BY AQL ild. ,qrroe/wsys United States Patent O 7 3,254,442 .DoLL WITH INDEPENDENTLY ARTICULATED BUTTOCKS Robert K. Ostrander, 497 Prospect St., Maplewood, NJ. Filed May 16, 1963, Ser. No. 280,778

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-161) simulate the human rump. The rump portion of they torso accordingly constituted at least a substantial part of each of the two buttocks joined at the rear vertical center of the body by a rigid linear depression, i.e. a cleavage line, that ran into the dolls crotch. The buttocks as thus fashioned were unitarily and rigidly united to the torso and to one another and, therefore, could not experience relative movement as do the buttocks of a human being. The upper ends of the thighs were pivoted to the outer sides of the buttocks or to the torso within the pendent rim in order to enable the legs to simulate the walking attitudes of a person. However, because only the legs could swing, a close limitation of natural body movements wherein the buttock oscillated at the same time as the legs could not be obtained.

It is an object of my invention to provide a doll which overcomes the foregoing drawback and includes fully fashioned buttocks physically independent of one another and of the torso and arranged to be moved with the legs. v

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described in which the buttocks are integral with the upper ends of the legs and are pivotally secured to the torso.

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described wherein full fashioned separate buttocks are independently pivotally joined to the torso so that they can be articulated, that is to say swung, with respect to one another and with respect to the torso.

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described wherein the buttocks are so fashioned and articulated that their motion when manipulated is highly suggestive of the natural movement of a persons rump.

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described in which the lower edge of the external surface of the torso effectively terminates at the waist and wherein the torso is provided with a pendent support extending in the general direction of the crotch and the primary function of which is to serve as a pivotal mount for the buttocks and for the legs.

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described wherein the swelling outer side contours of the thighs where they curve into the upper surfaces of the buttocks define the zone of demarcation between the legs and the torso whereby to impart an accentuated narrow waisted hourglass figure to the doll.

It is another object of my invention to provide a doll of the character described wherein the legs can be swung independently of one another or, if desired, by the incorporation of a walking mechanism, the legs can be interconnected for concurrent opposite movement or power actuated.

It is anotherobject of my invention to provide a doll "ice of the character described which is of rugged and durable construction so that it can withstand the rough handling to be expected from a child.

Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the doll hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a doll constructed in accordance with my invention, the legs being illustrated in midstride;

FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lower portion of the torso and of the upper ends of the legs with their integral buttocks; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are, respectively, front and side fragmentary partially sectional views of said doll.

Referring now in detail to the drawings the reference numeral 10 denotes a doll constructed in accordance with my invention. As shown, the doll is of the mannequin type, that is to say, it is a doll which is designed to be clothed with selected different outfits by children so as to serve as a miniature fashion model. To this end the head and limbs are articulated to the torso. However, it will be understood that my invention can be employed in conjunction with any type of articulated doll, as for example a so-called walking doll in which the legs are interconnected by an internal mechanism which will move one leg forwardly when the other leg is moved rearwardly or my invention can be used in connection with a doll in which the legs are power actuated as by a spring or an electric motor.

More specifically, the doll includes a self-form-maintaining torso 12, a head 14, arms 16 and legs 18.

The head and arms are joined to the torso so as to permit articulationthereof, the method of joining being conventional and not part of my present invention which relates solely to the legs and the manner in which they are pivoted to the torso.

The torso consists of a hollow shell which conveniently is fabricated from a plastic, e.g. a 'vinyl plastic, and is' shaped in a standard fashion (with the exception noted below) to simulate the torso of an infant or, as here shown, a teenage girl, inasmuch as this latter is a type currently in popular demand for mannequin dolls. Although the torso is standard from the waist up it is unique in that the lower edge of the torso terminates at the waist, that is to say above the hips.

More particularly the torso does not, as does the usual dolls torso, include a pendent rim which extends down to the level of the crotch and which is shaped, i.e. formed, to include buttocks rigid and unitary with the torso. Thus, referring, for example, to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the lower edge 20 of the torso is slightly below the extremely narrow cinched in midsection 22 of the waist. However, the waist terminates at said lower edge 20, the waist being that portion of the body which is immediately above the hips and is inclusive of the slightly flared out portion between the edge 20 and the midsection 22. Said lower edge 20 extends slightly downwardly at the front 23 and back 24 center portions of the torso. However, even at these downward extensions 23, 24 the lower edge terminates well above the crotch and does not enter into the rounded region of the hips.

The bottom of the hollow torso is open. However it is within the purview of my invention to include a closed wall at this point. 'I have not done so in the doll illustrated principally for the purpose of economy.

The torso further includes a pendent support which is secured to the torso and extends downwardly below the lower edge thereof. Said support, as illustrated, takes the form of a partition 25, i.e., a thin flat panel, which is coincident with the vertical front-to-back central plane of the torso. The partition has the upper portions of its front and back edges integral with, indeed preferably molded in one piece with, the torso. The lower part of the partition extends below the lower edge 20 of the torso to provide the requisite pendent section 26 which like the remainder of the partition is coincident with the vertical front-to-back plane of the torso. Thus, this pendent section extends into the crotch region of the doll.

The partition is made thin in comparison to the waist of the doll and thin in comparison to the dolls buttocks which will be described hereinafter and the pendent length of the partition is such that the lower edge of such partition terminates at the dolls crotch, The lower end of the pendent section is, moreover, preferably rounded so as to provide a downwardly facing convex configuration which preferably is substantially semi-circular in shape as best can be seen from inspection of FIGS. 2 and 4.

The legs 18 of the doll are conventional except for the buttocks which soon will be described. The legs are of a pleasant humanoid configuration and since, as indicated previously, the doll is of the, manequin type the dolls feet are arched and thus so designed as to be inserted into miniature high-heeled shoes.

The legs 18 are unusual in that pursuant to the present invention the upper end of each leg is integrally formed with a buttock 28. The buttock is fully fashioncd,'that is to say it is fully fleshed and rounded and rearwardly, but not forwardly, protubera-nt (see FIG. 4), thereby being in the shape of an attractively configured developed buttock. For convenience I will hereinafter refer to such a shape of the buttock as fully fashioned. The inner surface, i.e. side, 30 of the buttock is substantially flat, this being the surface that is juxtaposed against a side surface of the pendent section 26 in substantially face to face contact therewith as indicated in FIG. 3. Thereby the two buttocks of the dolls legs are separated only by the thin partition 25.

Attention is called to the fact that the outer side contours 32 (see FIG. 3) of the thighs of each leg swell outwardly in a desirable fullness and then curve into the upper surface of the affiliated buttock. In this fashion I am able to define a zone of demarcation between the legs and the torso which imparts an accentuated narrow waisted hourglass figure to the doll.

Another feature of the doll which can be provided because of the absence of a lower pendent rim integral with the torso is the rather natural appearance of the space between the inner sides of the thighs below the crotch. In a conventional doll because the crotch is defined by such a pendent rim, it has not been possible to fashion the crotch so as to form a space between the legs which is narrow at the crotch, then diverges out and thereafter reduces in width below the crotch. However, as will be seen from inspection of FIG. 3, the inner sides of the thigh may be shaped in a natural appearing fashion and yet these sides can approach one another very closely at the crotch due to the thinness of the partition 24. Below the crotch these sides flare downwardly for a short distance and thereafter approach one another.

Suitable means is included for rotatably mounting the two inner surfaces of the upper ends of the legs, i.e., the substantially flat inner surfaces 30 of the buttocks, on the pendent support, i.e. the partition (thin flat panel) 25. The rotatable mounting means should be so secured to the buttocks that the two buttocks can turn about a common axis perpendicular to the vertical front-to-back central plane of the torso. Such rotatable means may take the form, for instance, of a correctly located opening extending transversely through the partition 25 and a stud or rivet, passing through said opening and through openings in the walls forming the inner surfaces 30 of the buttocks,

the opposite ends of the stud or rivet being headed and positioned within the hollow interiors of the buttock. Moreover, if desired, the buttocks may be provided with upwardly projecting extensions each secured to a different buttock for movement therewith and having their upper ends interconnected by a rocking beam which is pivoted on a vertical axis at the partition 25, so that when either leg is moved forwardly the other leg will move rearwardly.

In the specific form of my invention illustrated herein the rotatable mounting means consists of a pair of aligned studs 34, 36 integral with the partition 25. Each stud is located on a different side of the partition and extends outwardly away therefrom. The outer ends of the studs are formed with heads 38 of outwardly tapering configuration. The broad bottoms of the heads are spaced from the partition a distance slightly in excess of the thickness of the walls defining the inner surfaces 36 of the buttocks. Each such wall includes a through opening 40 the diameter of which is slightly in excess of the diameter of the shank of the associated stud. The interiors of the buttocks are hollow as can best be seen in FIG. 3, that is to say, the buttocks are of shell-like configuration. The buttocks in this embodiment of my invention are formed from a flexible elastomeric material, eg a polyvinyl chloride in which case the legs are injection molded, or a vinyl plastisol in which case the legs are slush molded and then cured.

To assemble the doll the buttocks are forced on to the studs, the openings 40 being expanded in the process and then constricting in back of the heads 38 into rotatable engagement with the shanks 42 of the studs.

It will be observed that the fully flexed and rounded rear protubearances of the buttocks project in a desirable realistic fashion beyond the back surface of the waist of the torso as can best be seen in FIG. 4. It also will be seen that the upper surfaces of the buttocks closely match the lower edge 20 of the torso from the sides of the waist toward the partition 25 as best is shown in FIG. 3. The upper surfaces of the buttocks are substantially in the form of surfaces of revolution the axis of symmetry of which is the central axis of the studs 34, 36 whereby when the legs and buttocks are rocked about the pendent support constituting the partition 25 the clearance between the buttocks and the lower edge of the torso will not materially vary.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a doll which achieves the several objects of my invention and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A mannequin doll including a self-form-maintaining torso constituting a hollow shell simulating the shape of a human torso and having a lower edge that is located at the lower edge of the waist of the doll and defines a bottom end for the shell, 21 pendant support secured to the torso and extending downwardly below the lower edge thereof, said support including a thin fiat partition below the torso and located on the vertical central front-toback plane of the torso, a pair of legs each of which has associated therewith and includes at the upper end thereof in one piece therewith a fully fashioned buttock, the inner sides of said buttocks being flat and disposed close to one aonther on opposite sides of said central plane and juxtaposed against the opposite sides of the partition, the upper surfaces of the buttocks being disposed adjacent the lower edge of the torso and covering'the bottom end of the shell, and means pivotally securing the buttocks t0 the support partition solely for rotation relative thereto and to one another about a common axis perpendicular to the vertical central front-to-back plane.

2. A mannequin doll including a self-form-maintaining torso constituting a hollow shell simulating the shape of a human torso and having a lower edge that is located at the lower edge of the waist of the doll and defines an open bottom end for the shell, a pendent support secured to the torso and extending downwardly below the lower edge thereof, said support including a thin fiat partition below the torso and located on the vertical central frontto-back plane of the torso, a pair of legs each of which has associated therewith and includes at the upper end thereof in one piece therewith a fully fashioned buttock, the

' inner sides of said buttocks being flat and disposed close to one and other on opposite sides of said central plane and juxtaposed against the opposite sides of the partition, the upper surfaces of the buttocks being disposed adjacent the lower, edge of the torso and covering the-open bottom end of the shell, and means pivotally securing the buttocks to the support partition solely for rotation relative thereto and to one another about a common axis perpendicularto the vertical central front-to-back plane.

3. A doll as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means pivotally securing the buttocks to the support constitutes a pair of aligned oppositely extending studs carried by the 6 partition and journaled in openings in the inner sides of the buttocks.

4. A doll as set forth in claim. 2 wherein the legs have thighs with swelling outer side contours where they curve into the upper surfaces of the buttocks to define a zone of demarcation between the legs and the torsos whereby to impart an accentuated narrow waisted hourglass figure to the doll.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,820 9/1919 De Saunier 46--173 2,256,666 9/ 1941 Chojmik 46-130 2,552,216 5/1951 Rekettye 46173 2,613,080 10/1952 Dow 46-128 X 2,925,684 2/1960 Hausser et a1. 46173 3,010,253 11/1961 Ostrander 46161 3,064,365 11/ 1962 Ganine.

FOREIGN PATENTS 880,274 6/ 1953 Germany. 344,940 4/ 1960 Switzerland.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

F. BARRY SHAY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MANNEQUIN DOLL INCLUDING A SELF-FORM-MAINTAINING TORSO CONSTITUTING A HOLLOW SHELL SIMULATING THE SHAPE OF A HUMAN TORSO AND HAVING A LOWER EDGE THAT IS LOCATED AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE WAIST OF THE DOLL AND DEFINES A BOTTOM END FOR THE SHELL, A PENDANT SUPPORT SECURED TO THE TORSO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF, SAID SUPPORT INCLUDING A THIN FLAT PARTITION BELOW THE TORSO AND LOCATED ON THE VERTICAL CENTRAL FRONT-TOBACK PLANE OF THE TORSO, A PAIR OF LEGS EACH OF WHICH HAS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH AND INCLUDES AT THE UPPER END THEREOF IN ONE PIECE THEREWITH A FULLY FASHIONED BUTTOCK, THE INNER SIDES OF SAID BUTTOCKS BEING FLAT AND DISPOSED CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTRAL PLANE AND JUXTAPOSED AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PARTITION, THE UPPER SURFACES OF THE BUTTOCKS BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE TORSO AND COVERING THE BOTTOM END OF THE SHELL, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING THE BUTTOCKS TO THE SUPPORT PARTITION SOLELY FOR ROTATION RELATIVE THERETO AND TO ONE ANOTHER ABOUT A COMMON AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO THE VERTICAL CENTRAL FRONT-TO-BACK PLANE. 